BUZZ BOX- Trees on Fire: Organically grown

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"Where do we go from here?" asks  "Birds and the Bees," track three from Trees on Fire's latest EP. It's an appropriate question for the local brainiac-rockers. 

The quintet followed up its ambitious 2007 release, The Green Room, with efforts to uphold a green existence: selling organic t-shirts and raising awareness of environmental issues through their concerts. But the band is more than just a mouthpiece for the growing green movement: they're also artists who are inspired by it.

"We all play real instruments, but all also like the music that exists in computers," says bassist Brian Wahl of the concept for Organica, "music that's not as tangible, but still valid."

Presenting Organica as a multiple-part EP rather than a larger album brings a sense of expansion and endurance as Trees on Fire continues to explore the organic-electric mix.

"The idea is to put out multiple releases, bite-sized chunks of the 'Organica' concept," says Wahl.

While The Green Room presented Trees on Fire as a more funky, "jolting" sound, according to Wahl, Organica is a more steady, stable release. The EP continues to play with dance rhythms, but smoothly comes together as a single concept.

"We hope it comes across as a natural, easy kind of sound with the 'ica' coming from the electronic quality," explains Wahl. "We want to do what's not really possible for humans to do without a computer."

Exhibiting their new sound for the first time in front of audiences Saturday night, Trees on Fire hopes Organica will impress before they head back to the studio.

"It's the first time we've performed this material anywhere," says Wahl. "We'll have some tricks up our sleeve." The band heads into the studio to record Volume Two the day after the release party.

Trees on Fire presents Organica: Volume One at their release party Saturday, January 24 at Gravity Lounge. Show starts at 8:00 pm, tickets are $10.

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